Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Nightshade Blog Tour: Interview + Giveaway

Nightshade is the story of Calla Tor - on her upcoming eighteenth birthday she’ll become the alpha female of the next generation of Guardian wolves who have fought for centuries on the front lines of the Witches’ War. But her predestined path veers off course when she saves the life of a wayward hiker, a human boy. Startled by her own violation of the law she’s sworn to uphold, she hopes the stranger will soon be a distant memory. When the boy turns out to be a new student in her school, Calla’s random act of kindness spirals into a whirlwind of deceit, hidden histories, and forbidden love.

What makes your main character, Calla, unique?

Nightshade is Calla's story and she was the inspiration for the book. I tend to write from characters and Calla was floating around in my head for a week or two before I started putting her story onto the page. I knew she was a girl who was also a wolf. I knew she was strong, but also in serious trouble. I couldn't figure out how someone so powerful could be in that sort of a fix. That's where Nightshade's world emerged, it was all about building a history and society that explained Calla's predicament. Calla stands out as a heroine because she’s a leader, she’s independent and she fights for what she loves rather than being swept up in events.

If you could trade places with Calla for a day (and have her abilities), what would you do?

I would spend the day running through forests and getting to know the other wolves.

Fill in the blank: "I could not have written Nightshade without...

The inspiration of a childhood spent exploring forests and the love of my family."

So really, who would you pick: Ren or Shay?

This is something I will never reveal. I’m Team Calla – it’s her choice, not mine.